Production focuses on drug addiction

ULWEMBU – a poignant, informative, and incisive theatre production about drug addiction, is on at the Playhouse Loft Theatre from 5 to 9 April.

Over the course of 2015, a dynamic team of story-tellers, playwrights, theatre-makers, academics and researchers, set about exploring the Whoonga (low-grade heroin) crises currently plaguing KZN communities.

The result of the two year research/play-making process, is a powerful new theatre production titled Ulwembu (isiZulu for Spider web).

The creative team consists of award-winning playwright and director Neil Coppen (Tin Bucket Drum, Abnormal Loads and Animal Farm) top local actress Mpume Mtombeni, Kwa-Mashu based community-theatre group, The Big Brotherhood and educational sociologist Dylan McGarry.

Ulwembu, which has been described as ‘poignant’ and “essential” viewing, affords local theatre audiences the opportunity to walk in the shoes of misunderstood others: be it users, dealers, police-officers, social-workers or parents of drug users.

Ulwembu, the creative team believe, provides the crucial place for transformative dialogue to take place, engaging the empathy, intellects and imaginations of audiences by allowing them to follow a series of characters realities without judgment or prejudice.

To create the script, the group set out to record oral histories and testimonials from a broad cross-section of Durbanites before transforming these accounts into an unforgettable documentary-theatre experience which is designed to change the way we see and understand each other as citizens.

Show times are Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 6 April at 9am and noon, Thursday 7 April at 7pm, Friday 8 April at noon and 7pm and Saturday at 7pm.

Booking is through Computicket and tickets are R50 for public performances. Community groups and local organisations can contact Dylan McGarry at armadylan@gmail.com for free admission.